


Adult Decisions

by Lidsworth



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Gen, Mpreg, Rape, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-30
Updated: 2013-11-03
Packaged: 2017-12-28 00:57:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lidsworth/pseuds/Lidsworth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a twelve year old Naruto turns up with a stomach bug that prevents him from continuing school, as usual, no gives a second thought about it. Iruka takes it upon himself to see what the blond's problem is, and finds out the situation is far worse than a stomach bug. Warnings: Mpreg, Rape...etc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Adult Decisions

The thin piece of paper shook violently in Iruka's hand, and slowly, he peered at the young boy laying in the hospital bed, completely oblivious of the dangerous situation he was forcefully being thrown in.

Iruka took a breath. He was an adult now, it was time to make adult decisions. He was all Naruto had, all the boy looked up to. So he had to make the decisions, Iruka had to.

A child couldn't raise a child, Naruto couldn't raise a child.

Death was the only option, killing the baby before it was born was all Iruka could compromise. He could save Naruto from pain and further humiliation, all for the cost of a human life.

Damn the Kyuubi and it's twisted chakra, damn the villagers disgusting tendencies to torture a defenseless boy.

Damn Iruka for letting it happen.

He sighed and took a deep breath, a calm shuddering breath. There was no need to blame himself now, no point in blaming others, faceless villagers who wouldn't fess up for what they'd done.

Again, Iruka reminded himself that Naruto was a child who was clearly incapable of raising another child, and adult decisions had to be made.

"Abortion"

The word felt so foreign on the teacher's tongue, so poisonous and potent.

Disgusting was more of a synonym for such a cruel act. He was a teacher, he could never dream of killing a child, especially a child who couldn't fend for itself.

Then Naruto would have to live with it, live with the waste of what the village did to him?

Should Iruka even tell Naruto? What was the point, the boy seemed confused and disoriented, the shock of his supposed rape at the hand of the villagers altering his mind completely, hiding the act and making it nothing more than a second thought.

Naruto didn't remember, his body didn't want him to, and Iruka decided he wasn't ready for Naruto to know either.

It wasn't his business, perhaps it wasn't even his job to step in. But who else did Naruto have?  
Again, it was time for Iruka to start making adult decisions, even if Naruto wasn't entirely aware of the situation.

SO he decided to choose life...for Naruto. It wasn't up to him, it truly should not have been up to him, but the Sandaime had hopes in him, and Naruto would have to trust him as well.

He weighed his other two options, the only options the doctors had given him.

C section when the baby was safe enough to survive outside of Naruto's body, or wait the entire term out.

However, each had scary and potentially fatal side effects. Naruto was young, in all honesty, his body couldn't sustain that of another, the only thing giving him leverage was the Kyuubi's chakra, but at the moment of birth, the seal could break and endanger all in the village.

Not that again.

And to make matters worse, Iruka hardly knew anyone powerful enough to sustain such chakra. Sure, Sandaime was a legend, a living legend, but was he skilled enough in fuuinjutsu to sustain the seal when the time came?  
And his fuuinjutsu wasn't nearly enough to sustain the seal that contained the Kyuubi.

Maybe abortion would be the best option. And he hated it, absolutely hated it, hated the fact that Naruto had been put in such a situation, hated the fact that at the end of the day one child would be dead, and hated the fact that Sandaime had such high hopes in him which resulted in him making life changing decisions.

Adult decisions.

OOOOOOO

Iruka performed a mental headcount of his classroom, and for the second time this week noted that Naruto had been absent from class again.

Iruka wondered why Naruto did this so often, why he thought it was so funny to skip class when he was fully aware of how much Iruka cared for him.

Perhaps Naruto was still sick, the boy was complaining about a stomach ache during the weekend, two days before school started. Iruka blamed it on Naruto's terrible eating habits, and bought him stomach medicine and ordered him to rest.

That had been four days ago, and Iruka cursed himself for not visiting Naruto in that short span.

Defiantly, today, he'd do so.

As he'd learned from experience, class without Naruto tended to end earlier than classes that were with Naruto. As usual, hardly any students or teachers were concerned about Naruto, save for Hinata, Shikamaru and Chouji, other than that unfortunate trio, Iruka was the only one.

He considered stopping by the Ramen shop, asking the old man if he'd seen Naruto, but decided against it.

Instead, he headed straight to Naruto's house.

The door was unlocked like always, and Iruka was so grateful for that. He assumed that had it not been unlocked, all the anticipated worry built up during the past few days would surely explode and result in a kicked in door.

But it was unlocked, so Iruka let himself in.

"Naruto, i'm coming in!" he announced loudly as he removed his shoes before entering. When he heard no one reply, he got worried, very worried.

The apartment was a mess as always, and Iruka found himself jumping over piles of garbage and laundry in order to make his way to Naruto's bedroom.

He hoped that the boy hadn't been hurt, that he wasn't...dead. He couldn't bare to lose Naruto, it would be too much.

"Don't think like" that he told himself as he neared Naruto's room.

The door was already partially opened. Like the rest of the house, he could see clothes scattered around, empty ramen cups and an hand... a shaking hand followed by thumping noises.

Like a...like a seizure!  
Iruka threw the door open and paled when he saw Naruto on the floor, the boy drained of all color, foam erupting from the mouth and shaking violently.

"NARUTO!" Iruka shouted in terror as he rushed to the child's side, unsure of what to do. He needed help, so quickly, he weaved a hand sign and sent a shadow clone to the hospital, as well as one to the Hokage.

For now, he calmed himself down the best he could, it was all on him. Naruto was shaking violently, his head hitting the floor at incredible speeds. Iruka quickly grabbed a pillow and put it under the boys small head as the shaking continued. Next, he turned him to his side in order to prevent him from endangering himself more than he already had.

As custom of Iruka, whenever faced with the task of nursing an injured teammate, or student perhaps, he'd use his chakra to quickly scan over their body. It was never recommended by any medics, nor was it known to them. It was just a technique that put Iruka at ease, something about his chakra allowed him to easily tap into that of others.

He did this with Naruto, taking heed to the fact that the Kyuubi chakra was strong within the boy. It was subtle chakra, not too strong to penetrate, just strong enough to sense. Nothing chakra wise, save for the Kyuubi. Iruka assumed that's what the growing chakra near Naruto's abdomen supposedly was.

A medic barging through the door pulled Iruka from his thoughts, and now put a sense of calamity in the young Chunin.

OOOOOO

It had been over two weeks since Iruka had discovered Naruto like that, two weeks since he'd been hospitalized and recently released, and two weeks since Iruka had made a decision.

Yet surprisingly, Naruto remembered nothing.

The medics questioned him, ANBU interrogated him. And with Iruka being one of the only trustworthy adults, one of the closest to Naruto, the Medics had told them what they'd found. His injuries were self treated, and considering their location near the lower half of Naruto's body, the Medics had assumed it to be rape. And judging by the state of the injury, it had been brutal and the reason Naruto had missed so many days of school.

The pregnancy, however, was a result of the Kyuubi's was the reason for the seizure as well. As ludicrous as it sounded, Iruka soaked it all up, seeing it to be the only logical explanation.

The Hokage assured him that all was true, though his eyes betrayed his words. Iruka accepted it nonetheless, but expected the truth to surface sooner or later.

And now he was marching Naruto out of the village for his own safety, and that of the innocent residing in the village.

He only told the boy it was a training exercise that required him to be away from the village, he hadn't told him what his true intentions were.

What made things worse was the Hokage's tendency to place immense trust into Iruka, especially when it came to the matter of keeping the tailed beast in check. From Iruka's understanding, the Fourth himself had failed to conceal the beast within it's jinchuuriki, so how would Iruka, with his mediocre sealing techniques, perform such a high level jutsu?

Well, according to the Hokage, the key was love, the amount of love Iruka held for Naruto.

But he doubted himself still.

Iruka calmed himself as he walked with Naruto soundly sleeping on his back, he could feel a panic attack coming on.

He was told that this building was the same place Kushina Uzumaki had given birth to Naruto in order to ensure the safety of the village.

It was thought to be far enough to protect the citizens of Konoha, but evidently, it hadn't been enough.

However, the Hokage reassured Iruka, letting him know that there would be double the protection this time, as Iruka had been briefed about the entire story.

Not that it had put him at ease any.

Apparently, the number of medics had been doubled as well, and unfortunately, Naruto had awaken the instant they'd stepped foot in the building.

The darkness of the room in contrast with the white of the medics clothing had clearly unsettled the boy, and Naruto tried to turn away.

Confused and betrayed blue eyes stared into soft brown eyes. In a blink of an eye, Naruto was torn from Iruka, shouting and struggling as the medics dragged him to a bed and roughly forced him on it, snapping his wrist and ankles into binds that prevented him from moving.

The next moments moved in a blur as the medics performed a technique to induce labor, and Iruka's ears were mute to Naruto's screaming.

In a second, Iruka was above Naruto, performing the hand signs necessary to contain the tailed beast, and taking the Third's advice into mind.

Love...he thought of his devotion towards Naruto as his hands wavered over Naruto's stomach, the stomach that was now being sliced open as the boy screamed his heart out, and as the seal weakened and the Kyuubi braced it's chance for escape.

Iruka remembered small yet meaningful moments he spent with Naruto. At the ramen stand, at the part, at the swing, at Iruka's own apartment, all meetings with the boy were memorable, all live changing.

And though little, Iruka decided this would be the power, the love that would fuel the seal.

Through Naruto's screaming and crying, through the nine tails shoving and pushing it's way out, trying to overcome Naruto, through heaps of Iruka's chakra poured into the seal as the man tired himself, and through the effort of the medics around him, the shrill shriek of a child crying marked the end of such an agonizing moment.

Naruto's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he heaved for air and while the medics sealed his stomach. Without the opportunity of childbirth, the Kyuubi (with the help of Iruka's chakra) was forced back into the recess of Naruto's mind, sealing the monster within the boy.

With his senses seeping back to him, Iruka looked towards the bundle being worked on by one of the medics.

He attempted to make his way there, just to see what the baby looked like. But his entire body ached with fatigue and exhaustion. He hadn't known how he's sealed the Kyuubi, but the side effects from such chakra usage was catching up.

Iruka fell to the ground and darkness surrounded him.

OOOOOOO

A threat written in a note and a list of foster families were not things Iruka had been prepared to see when he woke up in the hospital.

The threat basically told him to keep his mouth shut, and if anyone was to find out about it (save for the upper ninja (ANBU/Jounin and some granted chunin (Kotetsu and Izumo)), the Council, Hokage, and he family he was to go to (the baby that is)) Iruka's head would be on a platter, and the Root of Konoha would be feasting on it.

Signed, Danzo.

The Hokage had discussed foster families with him, normal civilian foster families. It was for the child's own good, which turned out to be a boy with flaming red hair and bright blue eyes. He looked like Naruto. The baby had the Kyuubi's chakra to thank for his survival though, he would've been dead and deformed had he not had it.

So, after about an hour and one prayer, Iruka believed he found the perfect foster family.

A foster family had been selected for the boy, and he had moved with them a week after his birth. Naruto's mind had been altered, thus he remembered nothing.

That was alright with Iruka, he'd taken care of everything anyway. He visited with the family, and a nice family it was. They already had two kids, one biological and one a foster, taking in Naruto's son would be no different and they would treat him no different.

They were civilians, though they wouldn't refrain from putting him in the academy if that's what he wanted. It would be a long walk though.

Now Iruka dismissed his students, pushing last weeks events to the depths of his mind. He watched as Naruto walked with Shikamaru and Chouji, not a care in the world burdening the 12 year old's shoulders.

Iruka smiled, he'd made the right decision. Naruto was just a boy, not an adult. Iruka made adult decisions for Naruto so he wouldn't have to.

However, he wouldn't be surprised if this came back to haunt him.


	2. Reaping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, i'm new to this website...and I just really wanted you guys to review so I can know you're actually reading it. I'm already done with this story, but could you actually let me know you're reading by commenting so I can post more?

Three years had passed since that dreadful time in Iruka's life, and in three years, Iruka was starting to feel a lot better than he had in ages.

Every day, however, the twinge of guilt associated with separating a potential family still haunted him, but the wound wasn't as deep as it had been at first.

Occasionally, he checked up on the youngest Uzumaki, whose name had been changed for protection.

Not a traditional name, not at all. Christopher, or Chris for short, as for his last name, he took that of his foster family.

Shizen.

He was familiar with Iruka, and the three year old usually called him "The Strange Man", because what normal citizen hung upside down with no ropes or anything of the sort?  
His family lived in the civilian area, far away from the ninja academy, yet his mother and father had raised three children in the past that turned out to be successful ninja, the rest pursued different passions, such as clergy, music, art. etc, and now they were content with just raising Chris, another foster child, and their own biological daughter.

He was happy, Iruka could see it in the boy's eyes whenever he visited him.

Now he only lived with facing Naruto daily, seeing the same blue eyes that had held so much fear the day he was forced to give birth to a child he held no love for, nor knew anything about. The guilt, Iruka hated to admit, sometimes ate him alive. He believed Naruto had a right to know, but for his own good, and for the good of many others, he kept the secret to himself.

As for secrets, others had been revealed to him over the past three years.

The rape wasn't an accident, it was an experiment for the "Greater Good" spearheaded by the Village Council itself.

It was a failed experiment, and one that never should have been. Thus, the threat on Iruka's head remained, only to be calmed when the child was deemed "untouchable" by the Hokage.

Things hadn't changed much after the Sandaime's death.

However, being the newly appointed Hokage, Tsunade was left with the sensitive information regarding the incident that had befallen Naruto, the incident he had no idea about.

Of course, trust between the new Hokage and Iruka had been timid at first, but through various conversations, she began to understand the Chunin's resolve, as well as the situation he'd been put in.

Therefore, she'd agreed to keep Naruto's past a secret from him, but when the resolve had been made, she warned Iruka that such a secret would come back with terrorizing results.

And though he reassured her countlessly that he was prepared for the consequences to come, both sides knew that one was lying.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Seeing Sasuke Uchiha was equivalent to seeing a blue moon. It almost never happened, and when it did, like a blue moon, it usually left a lasting impression.

The lasting impression usually being the effects of Sasuke's sharingan, the sharingan that had the power to tap into the darkest memories of one's mind and usually use it against them.

Sasuke had used this once against Naruto, and as a result, had access to the monster locked deep within Naruto's head.

That encounter had been a short one and a displeasing one.

The same could be said for Naruto's recent encounter with his "friend", except, it was longer and much more displeasing.

Presently, Naruto Uzumaki walked back into the village ahead of his team, fist clench hard enough to puncture his palms, breath hitched, eyes narrow, borderlining slits laced with red, and one person dead on his mind.

Iruka Umino.

The mental war waged between him and Sasuke was still fresh on his mind, and memories came flooding into his head. Memories that were sealed away from him. He remembered the shocked look on Sasuke's face when the genjutsu was broken out of pure pity and some twisted respect, the pitiful look, the confused look drilled into Sasuke's face, all directed towards Naruto.

Team Taka had disappeared quickly after that, as the genjutsu had been exposed to everyone. It was Sasuke's idea of torturing Naruto even further, bringing him down to his lowest level and exposing his pain to the new Team Seven.

He hadn't expected to find out Naruto had been raped which resulted in a three year old son. The image, he could tell, scarred Sasuke and his team.

Now Naruto was positively seething, and his team was right to give him space. Any words of soothing they had directed towards him would only result in him lashing back at them tenfold.

Sai's expression, as always, was unreadable. And quickly, he disappeared before they made their way back to the village.

Kakashi eyes held a twinge of disdain in his one visible eye, and perhaps a hint of disgust in the one covered by his headband.

Yamato, as usual, looked utterly shocked.

Sakura's expression however wasn't shocked or disgusted, it was pitiful, and almost angry.

Naruto hated the feeling of eyes on him, it was a reminiscent of the villager's stares directed towards him. And oh, how he wanted to make them pay.

He would hurt Iruka, not physically, but the man had no right to keep something like that against him...not at all. He trusted Iruka, yet he was being lied to day after day.

Clenching his fist, he made his way through the village, not even stopping to greet the gate keepers.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Iruka had an uncanny ability to feel when something bad was coming, and even more so when something bad was coming his way.

It usually began with the "pins and needles" feeling, than later, depending on the level of the danger directed towards him, the feeling of butterflies erupted like a volcano in his stomach making him terribly uncomfortable.

That same feeling had shadowed him throughout his day. During the ninja academy, during his shift in the missions room, and now towards the end of the day when the sun was almost gone, the feeling was igniting in his stomach, paving the way for serious panic attack. They were terrible little things that usually involved panting, trembling and crying.

He hadn't had a panic attack in a while, nothing had been serious enough to trigger one.

Skimming through various food stands, Iruka tried to distract himself by looking at the different colors stacked up in certain crates.

There was yellow, green, blue, orange...orange. Orange like the jumpsuit Naruto sported,

and blue like his ocean eyes, and yellow like his wild hair.

Iruka shuddered. Why was thinking about Naruto worrying him? That boy was a ball of energy, a Godsend to anyone in need of a little light in their life.

But just like a Godsend, if betrayed and lied to, Naruto could be an omen of sorts as well.

Iruka sighed as he continued walking, nervously smiling at familiar faces, excusing himself as he partially collided with those in his path.

He didn't slow down though, he continued to quicken his pace.

He felt something coming, an enemy of himself perhaps, a personally created nemesis?

"Sensei, I really think you should go home now," pink hair was quickly glued to his side, grasping his arm and guiding him, if even possible, more quickly towards his destination.

Sakura's presence didn't calm him any, in fact, it panicked him even more.

"Sakura, what's_"

Iruka turned around .

"Oi! Iruka Sensei!" that voice, that once bubbly voice was now laced with venom and pure disdain.

Sakura paled beside Iruka and her hand loosened its grip, the air deflating from her body as Naruto parted his way through the crowd of busy villagers, his foul attitude acting as the primary divider.

People cast him ugly looks, while others simply ignored the boys rude gestures. However, Naruto had already spearheaded the beginning of a potential scene, as he'd unknowingly captured everyone's attention while practically growling his former Sensei's name.

Iruka already knew this wasn't going to be pretty, as Naruto stopped just feet before him. The boy was seething, his fist were clenched, his face was red, his breathing was uneven and his eyes were swirling with emotion, tinted red with hate.

He trembled with anger as Iruka slightly trembled with fear.

Not fear of his student, but fear of the harsh words that were to come.

"He knows," Sakura had said plainly, her voice barely above a whisper. And at the same time, Iruka thought the exact same thing.

Sakura didn't have to tell Iruka what exactly Naruto knew, because nothing else would unsettle the boy as much as the knowledge of his son would.

He had to turn the situation around, calm the boy down before it got out of hand.

"Naruto..." he began smoothly, keeping his place as the boy advanced to him.

"Don't Naruto me!"

Iruka jerked back.

Now people were casting glances their way. Some issued their families away at the sound of Naruto's raised voice, while others stayed where they were, pretending to read food labels while in actuality, they were dead set on seeing where this conversation led to.

"Why didn't you tell me?" the tone crushed Iruka. Years of trust melted before Iruka's eyes as Naruto glared at him, the sadness and mistrust the boy was emitting was almost too much for Iruka to bare.

He had to think of something.

"I couldn't..." Iruka responded rather sadly, yet his eyes stayed locked onto Naruto's, "I just wanted to keep you safe."

What a terrible thesis to build on. Keep him safe from what, humiliation, despair, early parenthood?"

He could say these things, but not here, not now, it wasn't the time nor the place. But Naruto was demanding answers, and Iruka was losing his ground. He was going to lose Naruto.

"To keep me safe? What the hell! I actually have a family, I actually have something that I love, someone that I love, and you chose to give them away, you chose to separate us! That's just plain selfish!"

Iruka stiffened, "Naruto...listen, let's take this somewhere else, I really can't_"

"Can't what," that voice was different, cool and silky, silky like...

"Kakashi-Sensei.." Sakura muttered.

There he was, as always, behind Naruto, further stealing the boy away from Iruka for ever. He assumed that the entire team had been notified, had somehow been made aware of Naruto's past.

And now Kakashi was against him, demanding the same explanation.

Iruka knew Kakashi dearly cared about his students, and to be exposed to such a past was enough to put the silver haired man on edge.

His words were calm, but his eyes shown with anger. Iruka was treading on ice.

"Don't you have a proper explanation, Iruka Sensei?" Kakashi continued, "why keep something this important from someone who is supposed to be this precious to you?"  
"I told you," Iruka repeated flatly, "to protect him."

Kakashi's presence began to enrage Iruka, and with the new pain welling in his chest, he fought to control his anger.

Kakashi's scowl was clearly visible under his mask.

"Perhaps something of this sort should be brought to the attention of the Hokage?" that was Yamato's voice, stern and demanding.

Damn, this wasn't going where Iruka wanted it to go.

"She already knows," Iruka replied harshly.

Naruto stilled, and Iruka knew he'd done wrong.

The atmosphere dropped to a deadly low, and the two jounin behind Naruto took a slight step back. The boy's shoulders were tense and his palms were bleeding from his nails puncturing the calloused skin.

"Iruka Sensei," Naruto spoke, calm, yet his voice was level and pained, "for more than half of my life, people hid the fact that I had a demon living inside of me, something that everyone hated me for, something that I hated myself for," his voice began to raise, a shrill barely contained, " and you, of all people, hide something that could have potentially made me happy? How could you, Iruka Sensei! I could've lived for something! Someone could've actually like me! Loved me! And you, like everyone else in the village, denied me that feeling for whatever selfish needs you have! Why Iruka, why! And don't you dare say, "To Keep me safe!"

Than what could he say? Naruto was at his breaking point, his voice was barely concealing tears.

"I have a son...I had a son," Naruto breathed, "Now he's gone, living with someone else...Iruka, how could you?"

Like gossip thrown to paparazi, an audible gasp was heard from the large crowd gathering around them.

Iruka paled...his head was definitely going to be on a platter. He was speechless, Naruto had done the unspeakable. He couldn't defend himself, he couldn't protect himself. Naruto was gone forever, no longer his.

Naruto growled as he resumed his pace, averting his eyes from Iruka and harshly hitting his former Sensei's shoulder. Sakura followed in suit, behind her Kakashi and Yamato.

Iruka made eye contact with none of them.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

By the time Iruka had arrived at his house, the pain in his chest was incredible. He was certain it was a panic attack. Everything felt like it was caving in, he couldn't breath, and as he staggered to the bedroom, his walking became erratic and unbalanced.

He felt like he was slipping away.

Quickly, he grabbed the door frame to his bedroom, knowing that if he couldn't collapse on his bed, he could certainly do so on his floor. Perhaps that would be more peaceful than breaking in a crowd full of noisy villagers.

Then it happened, quickly and silently.

The pain in his chest was no longer internal, but external. And as quickly as it had happened the first time, it happened a second, this time directly in his stomach area.

With his grasp loosening on the door frame, Iruka feel foward, body sliding off of the blade the pierced him.

"I'm sorry Sensei, but these are Danzo Sama's orders. Naruto will confide in you for more information regarding his child, and therefore, he'll delve further into Konoha's secrets regarding the conception. That just can't happen. No hard feelings," finalizing his apology to the bleeding body before him, Sai placed his blade back in it's holder as he began to exit the room. He would report to Danzo right away.

"T...ell N..aru..to i'm...so..sorry," his targeted managed to mutter. Sai flashed a fake smile as he turned to face the dying man, "It will be my pleasure Sensei."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

(Comic Relief)

Team Taka walked in silence away from the battlefield, trying not to recount what Sasuke had exposed them to.

Sasuke walking particularly further behind his group.

His head was down as he attempted to rid his mind of the memories he'd accessed from Naruto's head.

What he'd seen was fucked up, and honestly, it had sickened him a great deal.

At least Iruka Sensei had been there, and he assumed Naruto could make the connection to the absence, realizing that Iruka had taken care of everything for the child.

Sasuke shivered, maybe this whole Sharingan thing just wasn't working, peering into people's heads usually had terrible consequences.

Infact, the other day, he fought that one ninja who'd...

He didn't want to remember that either, and unfortunately, he couldn't erase the memories.

Perhaps he should change profession, take Team Taka along with him?

Sasuke had always been interested in the circus, and ninja were supposed to be athletic anyway...

"Jugo, Karin, Suigetsu..." he spoke to them. The three turned around, their faces still somewhat pale, "What do you think about running away with the circus?"

"If it doesn't involve your sharingan and pregnant jinchuriki's," Suigetsu replied, "i'm in."

"Me too," Karin said rather sickly, "that was a little too weird."  
"Whatever you do, Sasuke," Juugo replied softly.

Sasuke nodded and caught up with them, another idea sparking in his mind, "Or how about outlaws?"

"I thought we were...outlaws," Suigetsu inclined, "I like the circus idea way better."

"What about journalism? We travel a lot, let's be journalist," Karin added, "since we're throwing idea's in anyway."  
"Hmm," Sasuke thought about, "It could work, we'll keep a low profile, new identities_"  
"Booooriing," Suigetsu interrupted, "pirates or circus performers, if it involves writing, i'm out!"

"Pirates! Where the hell did pirates come from!?" Karin exclaimed, "you're idea is dumber than mine."

"What about bookkeepers?" Juugo's suggestion silenced all, "it has to be something we all comply with, and something that fits Suigetsu's requirements. No pregnant jinchuriki's, no sharingan...I think it's a keeper."  
Sasuke shrugged, "We'll toss a coin."

"We don't have a coin," Karin pointed out.

Sasuke paused and looked up at the sunset, "We'll become robbers then."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fight ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, please review so I know you're reading. Kudos makes me happy, but I appreciate actual feedback. As of now, this'll be the last chapter until I know what the majority of my readers are thinking, but thanks for those who've commented.

Sakura, in the span of her short life, had never felt this sort of sensation. Trembling, burning, a sensation that ate her up from the inside, and as she watched the scene before her unfold; Naruto yelling at Iruka, Yamato and Kakashi belittling her previous Sensei, the feeling only grew stronger.

She was fully aware, like the other's in Team Seven, what the situation with Naruto was now, the morbid situation that now revolved around him. Like always, he was the centerpiece of the puzzle, the Golden Boy, throwing his hate onto someone else.

This someone else happened to be Iruka, and Naruto was humiliating him.

Nervousness seized her, prevented her from moving forward, and fear of what other's would say to her clasped on her throat as she thought of a way to stop Naruto's accusation.

He didn't know Iruka's side of the story dammit! And knowing him, he couldn't wait to listen.

Sakura waged a way mentally, she wanted to shout, scream, do something to deter Naruto's senseless yelling. But her body wouldn't move, it was frozen like ice, the tension and anticipation overloading her.

And then, Naruto's voice resided, barely above a whisper, the moment no doubt meant to be personal, a moment that would sever Naruto's ties with his former Sensei forever.

The ice around Sakura melted, the moment was gone, and Naruto shoved past his Sensei, Yamato and Kakashi close by.

Sakura looked up at him, her expression pained and apologetic, however, Iruka looked at none of them.

When they were further away, in a less crowded part of Konoha, the sensation within Sakura flared again. She smiled to herself as she caught up to Naruto, and assumed that had Sai been around, that she would have been accused of faking her smile.

Rightly so, she thought.

Nevertheless, she moved through her two captains, satisfied that they were oblivious to her actual intentions. Knowing them, she supposed they believed she was going to comfort Naruto.

She prided herself in her deceptiveness.

She was going to do the exact opposite.

She tensed a little as she caught up to his side, his chakra so strong that it was almost physical. Nevertheless, she didn't back down. She marched to his side, a sad smile still plastered on her face.

"I can't believe him," Naruto said silently to Sakura, his voice low, "why...how could he not tell me?"

Sakura sighed and debated on what to say next, how to open her argument. Should she delve straight into her point, or should she respond with something that Naruto would enjoy hearing, that he would want to hear? Did it make sense to draw out the conversation in such a way that Naruto appreciated if Sakura was planning to speak her own opinion anyway?

"...Maybe," Sakura breathed, she was never good with words, "Maybe he did it for a reason, a good reason. I mean, Iruka Sensei wouldn't keep something this big from you for no reason. I think you were a little too harsh."

The atmosphere completely changed, and Sakura's smile faltered into a slight frown, Naruto's aroma thickened, and anger was seeping through his pores. Hr snorted. He'd expected Sakura to see his way, to be on his side with this one.

"Too harsh? How was I being too harsh? I trusted Iruka Sensei, he lied to me! How is that being too harsh? I was lonely, no family or anything, he kept away the only family I had! He was being selfish!" Naruto protested.

"The only family you had?" Sakura's voice raised on octave, the volume increasing just a smidge, "Naruto, Iruka was the first person in the village who accepted you, don't forget that."

Naruto kicked a rock in his path, the path to the Hokage tower.

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"What could I expect...you're not like me," the words were automatic, almost emotionless, yet to Sakura, they held a deeper meaning, "you always had everything, you weren't lonely like me, so I shouldn't get mad at you for not understanding."

Sakura tried to reason with herself as her pace came to a sudden halt. Usually, had Naruto said something like this, she'd stay silent and follow him, but already, Yamato and Kakashi had past her and both cast curious looks at her.

Sakura threw any chance of civilized reasoning with Naruto out of the window, how dare he say something like that to her?

With a fiery step, Sakura passed through both Kakashi and Yamato, and hand outstretched and ready to claw onto Naruto's shoulder.

Roughly, she dug into the muscle of his shoulder and turned him around, a burning hand lifted in the air, ready to strike.

"What the hell Naruto!" her hand on his shoulder had snaked to his collar, and by now, she was holding him up, "Why do you keep on insisting that just because I'm not like you, not like Sasuke, not like any of you, that I can't understand what you've been through, why do I have to be different?!"

"Sakura, put Naruto down," Kakashi commanded swiftly, yet Sakura didn't listen. Her anger was getting the best of her.

Her hand was loaded with chakra, enough to send Naruto flying for miles if she sought it fit.

This wasn't playful Sakura, annoyed Sakura, this was Sakura intent on making Naruto suffer for whatever he'd said, and Kakashi and Yamato received just that.

She held her hand high, her eyes intently locked onto Naruto's blue ones, ready to strike at any given moment. An unspoken battle waged between the two, chakra was colliding with chakra, the killing intent leaking from both of them. Sakura was shaking, her palm ready to strike, ready to kill Naruto for what he'd just said, for how deeply he'd offended her.

She was no match for Naruto, but that didn't deter her perseverance.

Baffled, Kakashi stood shocked, she even glanced at him, she'd ignored him completely. This was a side of Sakura that Kakashi had never seen, and due to that, he had precautions. Kakashi knew too well that nInja could click at any given moment.

Sakura was no exception, and Naruto was in danger.

Her hand was quickly seized by Yamato, who no doubt harbored the same fear as Kakashi.

The situation was far from over, even with Sakura seized.

Meanwhile Naruto elaborated on what was happening.

So, just like Iruka, she was going to betray him too? Some friend she turned out to be.

"Just go Sakura," Naruto sneered, "I don't understand why you're even blowing up over this anyway, you're just like everyone else, and i am right. You don't understand."

Sakura yanked her hand away from Yamato's firm hold, "Whatever, i'm sorry that i'm not outstanding enough to be noticed by you, Naruto, that i'm just a plain Sakura Haruno, not a legend or anything of the sort. Guess that's how Iruka feels, huh? Well, whatever, bye Naruto, for good, you have enough friends to replace my absence, stronger and more "understandable". And one more thing. If you had to raise a son, if you were burdened, even if you were assisted with taking care of a child, could you be the ninja you are today?"

Sakura didn't even look at the three as she left, her fist were cleched and she was trembling. She continued her stride, she needed to cool off, go punch a tree or something.

She'd just lost her "best-friend" and didn't feel like talking to anyone else that consisted of the Rookie 9 or Guy's team. They'd just chastise her on the situation, most likely take Naruto's side and accuse her temper of getting the best of her. Perhaps she'd speak to Iruka Sensei? They'd both been practically abandoned by Naruto (though Sakura wanted it just as much as Naruto did), and Iruka did look really down afterwards. Naruto was closer to him than he was to Sakura, almost all he had, and the effect of losing him was likely greater than it was to Sakura.

She'd go check on him, see how he was doing and maybe talk to Tsunade later.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO

Surprises and bad news were things that Tsunade had learned to alter her lifestyle around. Happiness for her was a privilege, earned through trial and error, easily shifted and easily taken away. For her, happiness used to be personal, best kept to the recess of her mind, of fear that if the world knew she was happy, she'd be denied the privilege all over again.

Orochimaru, Dan, and Nawakai were all victims of her happiness, she practically showered them with it, and slowly, they completely faded. Orochimaru just wasn't gone yet, but he was fading.

However, since becoming the Hokage, Tsunade learned her happiness was best left to the good people of her village, for her happiness was their reassurance. Like the Will of Fire, she insured it into every civilian and ninja alike. Just as her happiness mattered to them, theirs mattered ten fold to her.

With that being said, Naruto spilling his guts out to Tsunade, recounting the mission, the meeting with Iruka, and the argument with Sakura in a matter of moments had not only unsettled, but zapped her happiness down to an all time low.

Sasuke Uchiha was an idiot, and Naruto even more so to jump to conclusions without coming to her first. Yamato and Kakashi were just as ignorant as Naruto as well, allowing him to make such a scene in public.

She kept her anger contained though, and instead focussed on the situation at hand, the possibility that Iruka was dead, and the mere fact that Naruto knew that he had a son and wanted to know more. Her eyes had already betrayed her the instant the blond ninja had spoken his accusations, he could see the shift in Tsunade's eyes.

Now was time to act.

"Naruto," she spoke sternly in order to penetrate his babbling, at the same time, she searched for the right words to say.

HIs head turned towards her, his eyes ablaze. He had every right to know, but he needed to understand Iruka's position too, Sakura's side too.

But words wouldn't reach the boy now, Tsunade could see that he was doing everything he could not to spill over, not to lash out. Self Control wasn't something Naruto usually practiced, the effort impressed her.

"Yamato, Kakashi, leave."  
If they wanted to stay, had any protest, Tsunade assumed they did so in their momentary pause and anxious glances cast towards each other, nevertheless, they left quickly, closing the door behind them.

"Would you like to see him?" Tsunade inclined, "if so, would you allow me to explain things to you? Explain what and why it happened?"

Naruto paused, obviously taken aback by the question thrown at him so suddenly. Gulping, Naruto's eyes softened at the thought of the life that was taken from him, cringing slightly at the gruesome memories Sasuke had unlocked.

The circumstances of his son's conception may be impure, so Naruto wanted to see him before Tsunade spilled the beans.

"..Sure," blandly, it rolled off of his tongue, too many thoughts colliding in his mind at once. He didn't know what emotion to display, how exactly to feel. He supposed that would be determined at the exact moment he met the boy.

"Follow me," Tsunade said silently.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO

Sakura had assumed that after Sasori's poison nearly killed Kankuro and she was the one chosen to heal him, that she would have gained a stronger sense of self confidence when it came to healing the near dead.

Different battles, attacks on the village had confirmed this, at least she thought, faceless ninja and citizens had come to her for help, many near death and barely clinging to life, and always she'd been able to heal them, to save them.

But why now, when her hands hovered over her Sensei's bloody stomach, her body shook like a child caught in a blizzard.

Iruka was pale, very pale, his normal tan color melting away.

Already, the stomach acid had begun to corrode the sensitive tissues that made up the main organs. The wound on his chest had been somewhat healed, only enough for her to direct her attention to the stomach wound though, no way were either of them fully healed. The stomach was the one she was most concerned about though, it was killing Iruka slowly and painfully.

Sai lay amongst rubble in the kitchen, Sakura assumed, at least that's where she'd last seen him after she punched him at the "crime scene", now all of her attention was dedicated to her former Sensei, trying to keep him alive until her clone made it to the hospital where more medics could be found, and to the Hokage Tower, to alert Tsunade about the current situation.

She didn't want to lose him, not Iruka Sensei, but the feeling of despair and defeat were at their highest.

Already his eyes were foggy, his mouth slightly agape as a steady stream of blood seeped through. The floor was a bloody mess, Sakura's knees were submerged in it, and already she'd ripped his shirt in order to get a better look at the wound.

It was a nasty wound, nasty wound. Two areas had been punctured, and the skin was red and irritated around them, she was doing her best to fix his stomach, but she'd need medical assistance, medicines and equipment to continue. She could only stabilize him now, and she hoped that help was on the way.

She felt she was losing him, that no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much chakra she poured into his battered body, that her Sensei wouldn't make it.

It scared her, but nevertheless, she continued to push chakra into the wound.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO

They'd traveled several flights of stairs below the Tower. The walk was quiet and Tsunade only spoke when they walked into hidden room. Secret village records, as Naruto had gathered, were stored inside of of many cabinets and files within the room, many locked with a strong chakra seal. It wasn't a big room, as large as Tsunade's office, the cabinets were stacked on the wall, a large table in the center and a dangling light overhead. There were no windows.

Tsunade grabbed walked towards the cabinet furthest of the door and fumbled through it, Naruto stayed by the door as she did so.

She was muttering as she fiddled through it, satisfied only when she pulled a small scroll out of the cabinet, read it, and placed it back inside. Though, her demeanor changed slightly, from tense to worried, however, she returned to tense second later.

Whatever she'd been looking at clearly wasn't meant for Naruto, but he had no doubt it had something to do with the situation.  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO

By the time Naruto and Tsunade had left the room and returned to Tsunade's office, the staff was in a frenzy. Apparently a ninja, an important ninja had been seriously injured by a higher ranked nina, at least that's what Naruto had gathered from a bumbling Shizune, medics and ninja were running around like cockroaches trying to find Tsunade and steal her away into the infirmary.

It was pure chaos, treason had been committed, and apparently the elders were doing nothing about it. The medical staff had already reported it to the council, a young medic with blood staining his hands had hastily told Tsunade.

He'd left, however not without casting a sympathetic look at Naruto.

Sakura had been the biggest surprise, and angrily, she shoved Naruto as she ran through the doorway, yelling for him to stay out of the way. She'd pulled Tsunade behind her desk and towards the window, muttering something important to her. Naruto guessed that by the hisses and the tone of her whispering that it was very important, yet he did a good job at glaring at her when she walked by, and she did the same. She disappeared soon after, leaving Naruto to Tsunade, who rested her hand on her desk, her back towards Naruto.

The tension was thick, hanging in the air like humidity.

Her shoulders suddenly sagged, and she breathed an exaggerated sigh.

"Tsunad_" Tsunade held up a hand and silenced him, obviously wanting him to take no place in the newly arisen problem.

"Naruto, I can only take you there, not back. I have important matters to attend to. Don't spend too much time there either, it's better that you don't even interact, "She turned around, her eyes intently staring into his, "it will only cause problems if you do. Let's be quick now, hurry and follow me."

Standing by the door, Naruto jumped as she walked beside him with deadly speed, her heels clicking as she walked down the long corridors of the Hokage tower. With a sigh, Naruto followed quickly after her, a frenzy of ninja still running in the corridor.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO


End file.
